Planting my Tanks...

[Brent]

There will be pictures at the end of this (once the tank has plants in it, of course). Right now I'm trying to figure out a stocking list. The details of the tanks are as follows:

Tank Size: 23.6g
Filtration: Elite Hush for up to 25g (I think)
Heating: Unsure on heater... Came with tank. It is an Elite Submersible.
Lighting: 2x 20W T8s with seperate reflectors
No CO2 tank
Dosing: Flourish Excell (and potassium on occasion)
Tank inhabitants: Tetraodon Miurus (soon!)

Tank Size: 10g
Filtration: Elite Hush 10 for up to 10g
Heating: 50W Elite Submersible heater for up to 15g
Lighting: 15" Sun Glo 14w T8 with seperate reflectors
No CO2 tank
Dosing: Flourish Excell (and potassium on occasion)
Tank inhabitants: 2x Carinotetraodon Travancoricus

Tanks Size: 5g
Filtration: Marine Slim S10 for up to 10g (I really don't like this filter- may change)
Heating: No heater as of now. Need advice on what to use
Lighting: 120V 15W x1 w/ reflector
No CO2 tank
Dosing: Do you dose snail breeding tanks? If so, Flourish Excell (and potassium on occasion)
Tank Inhabitants: Ramshorn Snail Breeder


Basically what I need is a list of plants that will thrive, not just survive, in low-moderate lighting, with small amounts of CO2 and Excell dosing. I want to make Willow Moss (Fontinalis Antipyretica) one of the main plants in the 25g for sure, and possibly in the other tanks as well. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brent

[Brent]

Now, I am aware that in order to keep algae under contol and plants at their best health, you need to have balance. I will run CO2 through my filter, and hope and pray that it'll be enough. As I do not use reverse osmosis water in my tanks, phosphates will be administered via tap water. Assuming that other minerals are in my tap water, merely dosing Excell and the occasional potassium supplement, I should be fine. I was contemplating iron, but opted against it as I do not want to overdose. There should be some in my tap water already anyways.

If you have any suggestions or comments to make on my dosing, please, don't hesitate.

[JaxPuffer]

I am very interested to see how this turns out and listen to the input that people have to offer. I am attempting to plant a 30 gallon now. I spend a lot of time with my marine tank so I do not have a ton extra to really get technical with the FW. I am on well water so there is plenty of phosphates and other elements. I have been toying with the idea of adding the Flourish. I currently just have one 30 watt 36" Fluorescent over the tank but plan on getting a dual 36" for it...
.


Best of luck to you and I hope you get lots of feedback on this.

[Brent]

I'd like to see yours when finished as well!

Thanks, and good luck yourself.

_____

On another note- I'm looking at substrate for my Congo's tank. What works best? Oh, and what depth do you guys think would be sufficient?

PS: I'd rather not turn this into a Congo thread, so one/two replies will suffice on that topic.

[pufferpuggirl]

The best depth for a Congo, at adult size, I would say about 3" of sand.

As for plants, I have very good luck with cryptocorynes because they don't require high light, or CO2, and of course Java fern and moss. But crypts are fairly easy to get started and there's several different kinds, so you won't get stuck with a tank full of the same-looking plants. Vallis is another plant that's fairly easy to get going and propagates by runners under the substrate, and it gives the tank depth. I would say it's good that you are using Excell because if you've got a sandy substrate it's not going to provide much nutrients to the plants. But even so, I've got quite a few crypts going in my tanks and they look really nice.

[J-P]

Now, I am aware that in order to keep algae under contol and plants at their best health, you need to have balance. I will run CO2 through my filter, and hope and pray that it'll be enough. As I do not use reverse osmosis water in my tanks, phosphates will be administered via tap water. Assuming that other minerals are in my tap water, merely dosing Excell and the occasional potassium supplement, I should be fine. I was contemplating iron, but opted against it as I do not want to overdose. There should be some in my tap water already anyways.

If you have any suggestions or comments to make on my dosing, please, don't hesitate.

If you go CO2 you won't need the excel but the basic flourish is recommended.
and if that gets too expensive you can always do PMDD (evil laugh)

[Iliveinazoo]

You say 'no CO2 tanks' and then say that you will add CO2 via the filter? Also why would you dose a liquid CO2 source with CO2 injection?

With an inert substrate you may have to dose additional NPK and Traces.

Sagittaria subulata is a foreground plant that does well in low light

Anubias species. Crypts, Java Fern, Java Moss.

A similar topic was discussed here:
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10401

But you will be able to grow lots of plants with 1.5WP(US)G+ and additional liquid or gas CO2, it's when you don't dose a CO2 source at all that you will only be able to grow low light specialists.

[J-P]

Iliveinazoo is correct about the excel and the CO2. They are basically the same.

When I started my tank, I made this HUGE list of various plants that would be compatible under certain conditions that I can care for. Guess what? That list is all but useless because I can't get those plants! I have to have them shipped in and that costs $$.

As opposed to making a list of that is compatible, we can start by making a list of what you can obtain. Then we can narrow that down.

If you want to go the long route I would recommend APC's Plant finder engine. You plug in what you are looking for "low light" and click "go". Easy to use and does the job

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... antfinder/

[Brent]

Good point on the CO2... I'll just stick with Excell then, as it seems easier than constantly changing out CO2 cartridges.

Thanks PPG for the sand depth info.

I was actually at APC earlier, and never saw that plant finder thing. O.o

Thanks J-P

PS: Poor man's dosing drops are too much work. I'd rather spend the extra $20 on chemicals.

Will post my wanted stocking list soon, and call a few LFSs tomorrow and see if they can order them in.

[J-P]

I ended up waiting 3 months for my corkscrew vals that came in yesterday!

Wish lists are quickly shortened...

BTW if you have the $$ a CO2 cylinder will last 6 months to a year if you have a good regulator *. Refill is $20.

** airline hoses are known to break down due to CO2 use. There are special tubes that don't leach the CO2.

[Brent]

Awesome! Corksrew Vals are absolutely beautiful!

I know... I hate when you see plants that you absolutely love but know you can't have (I.e. Hydrilla Verticillata). ):

With regards to the cylinder, I can afford the product itself based on what I've seen online. Unfortunately investing in a regulator is a bit on the higher scale price side. I'm not sure I really want to get into it just yet as I'm also saving for a 55g temperate reef.

I'll skip the cylinder for now, strictly due to the cost of the regulator...

Still contemplating that darned plant-stock-wishlist.

[Brent]

Alright, here's the plant list for each tank:

25g T. Miurus Tank:
Anubias Gracilis
Anubias Nana
Bacopa Australis
Bolbitis Heudelotil
Cryptocoryne Beckettii
Cryptocoryne Cordata Var. Blassii
Cryptocoryne Undulata
Cryptocoryne Wendtii 'Red'
Fontinalus Antipyretica
Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Stricta'
Hygrophila Polysperma 'Ceylon'
Microsorum Pteropus
Monosolenium Tenerum
Taxiphyllum Barbieri
Vesicularia Montagnei

10g C. Travancoricus Tank:

Anubias Nana
Bacopa Australis
Cryptocoryne Beckettii
Fontinalus Antipyretica
Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Stricta'
Microsorum Pteropus
Taxiphyllum Barbieri
Vesicularia Montagnei

5g Snail Breeder:

Anubias Nana

I am still very unsure about dosing the snail breeder. It won't be harmful, will it?

[Brent]

Here's my plan of action (what I'm asking for, really):

Plant Stocking List

Anubias Gracilis
Anubias Nana
Bacopa Australis
Bolbitis Heudelotil
Cryptocoryne Beckettii
Cryptocoryne Cordata Var. Blassii
Cryptocoryne Undulata
Cryptocoryne Wendtii 'Red’
Fontinalus Antipyretica
Hygrophila Corymbosa 'Stricta'
Hygrophila Polysperma 'Ceylon'
Microsorum Pteropus
Monosolenium Tenerum
Taxiphyllum Barbieri
Vesicularia Montagnei

[J-P]

and you can readily obtain these?

[Brent]

I'm going right now to find out.